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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. )
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • livinusudeh@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "douglas okon" <douglasokon1@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 15:03:36 +0100
Subject: THANK YOU FOR YOUR PAST EFFORT

Dear Friend, I am happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds transferred through the assistance of a new partner from Paraguay. Presently i am in South Korea for investment projects with my own share of the total sum. Meanwhile, I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring those funds despite the fact that it failed some how. Now contact my secretary in Cotonou, Benin de Republic, through his email address: livinusudeh@yahoo.com his name is Mr.Livinus Udeh. Ask him to send you a total sum of $950,000.00 U.S dollars (CASHIER CHECK) which I kept for your compensation for all your past efforts and attempts to assist me in then. I really appreciated all your efforts at that time very much, so feel free and get in touched with my secretary and instruct him where and how to send the Cashier cheque to you. Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we can share the joy together after all the sufferings at that time. For the moment, i am very busy here in South Korea with the investment projects which i and the new partner are having at hand.Finally, remember that I had forwarded instruction to my secretary Mr.Livinus udeh on your behalf to receive those money, so feel free to get in touch with him to send it to you without any delay. FULL NAME:.......................................... OCUPATION......................................... ADDRESS................................................. DIRECT PHONE....................................... COUNTRY................................................... With best regards, Mr Douglas Okon

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam